Humidity gauge for hot-air furnaces



Dec. 21 ,1926. y 1,611,505

* H. T. BARNHART t v HUMIDITY GAUG-E FOR HOT AIR FURNACES Filed Dec. l5 1925 Patented Dec. 2l, 1926.

HAROLD T. BARNHART,

FICE.

- or PORTLAND, OREGON..

AHmvunrrv GAUGE FOR HOT-Aria FURNACES.

Application filed December15, 1925. Serial No. 75,527.

The object of my invention is toindicate upon the exterior of the furnace, how much liquid is maintained, or being supplied-Within the liquid container, within the furnace.'

A further .Object of my invention is ito indicate upon a graduated sleeve, the height or amount of liquid being maintained Within the liquid container, within the heated chamber,within the furnace.

A further object of my invention is to control, by automatic means', the amountk of liquid lbeing maintained and to further indicate by automatic means, upon the exterior of the furnace, the level of the liquid, Within the liquid container, within the heated chamber'. i i

A further object of my invention is to provide a liquid container to be placed'within the heated chamber of the 'furnace whose bottom slopes in relation to the. horizontal, the object of which -is to govern the amount of surface 'of liquid to be contained therein and therefore govern the amount'of evaporation that will take place 1n a given tlme,

" which indirectly will determine the amount of humidity that will be heldin suspension.

Within the air passing' therefrom.

VVlth thes'evan'd incidental obJeets 1n view, the invention consist-s 1n certain novelfea- 0- tures of construction and combination of.

parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended claims, anda preferred Jform of embodiment of which is hereinafter shown with reference. to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this application.

In the drawings Fig 1 :is a side elevation, partially insection of the furnace and my' device in place upon the exteriory thereof.

Fig. 2is a cross section view of my device, illustrating the container for the liquid, the float Within the indicator, and the valve for the controllingof the outlowof liquid from the container into the hot air chamber of the furnace.

Fig. 3 is y'an' enlarged,'d`etached view of the graduate indicator and illustrating means for regulating 'the height of the same.

Like refe-rence characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

1 `is a hot air furnace, having a chamber 2, disposed in the interior thereof, in which aqliquid container is placed, the bottom Wall 4l of which is inclined to the vhorizontal and adapted to maintain a liquid hot airv therein and ihaving an open top surface to permit of the free evaporation ofthe liquid ,therefrom The amount of evaporating l' if alOW humidity is desired but a portion of the bottom-Will-be covered with the liquid.

The level of the liquid to be maintained.

therein determines, Within certain limits, the vamount of liquid evaporating surface. This liquid level is determined yand regulated by a valve float and lever-system, which may be regulated by a manipulative means disposed upon the exterior of the furnace and Within reach and sight of the attendant of the furnace. Disposed -upon the exterior of the furnace, is a liquid container 5, supported upon4 the, Wall structure of the furnace by any suitable fastening means, as a bracket .6. Connecting the liquid container 5, With the evaporating container 4, is a suitablepiping connection?. Liquid is suppliedl to the liquid container 5, through a piping system 8, which is connected` to a source of supply not here shown, the piping system 8, having a valve 9,.in the line for the cutting off of the Water supply when desired. 4This piping system 8, terminates Within the liquid container in a suitable float valve which is indicated by the valve casing 10, which is connected by a suitable link mechanism to .the stem .13. The threadedl stem 13, isv

pivotally secured to link 14, on its lower end which is secured to`the inner Wall surface of the liquid container and hinged thereto, as shownat 15. The threaded stem 13,- passes through the sleeve 12 of the float 11 and is secured thereto by an adjusting thumb nut 16'; Thesleeve 12'of the float 11, passes' through the closure 17, of the liquid container and is in Working relationship therewith, the same passing through opening 18,

centrally disposed on, the lid closure 17.

The height of the liquid to be maintained -i Within the evaporating panl 3, may be definitely determined byylocation and adjustv ment of the thumb nut "16, and in the .event that the liquid supply for any reason should cease to be vfurnished to the liquid container 5, the threaded stem andI the fioat will lower into the liquid container and will indicate thereby4 that the supply has failed. This is accomplished bythe graduations 19 and 20, disposed upon the sleeve 12, indicating i that/the float has been. lowereddnto the `claims which follow.

What Ifclaim is: I 1. A humidity auge for hotair furnaces, in combination wjth a hot air furnace havinga hot air` chamber, df aliquid holding pan having an inclined bottom surface,

placed within the hot air chamber of 'the furnace, a liquid holding receptacle `placed on the exterior of the furnace, automatic means for feeding liquid from the receptacle yto the, pan and Jmeans forl regulating the amount of liquid surface to be exposed Withf inthepali. C

2. A humiditygauge forhot air furnaces, in combination with. a hot air furnace having a hotair chamber, of a liquid holding pan having aninclined` bottom surface,

placed within the heated air chamber yof the furnace, automatic means for feeding liquid tothe pan and means whereby (the amount of surface of liquid to be exposed upon the pan may be regulated. i

- 3. A humidity gauge for hot air furnaces,

comprising an inclined bottom liquid holding pan to be placed within thel hot air outlt leadinghfrom.l .the furnace, automatic liquid supplying means for the liquid holding pan and regulatory means for governing the `amount .ofA surface 'of liquid tol be vexposed Within the pan. i

4. A humidity gauge for hot air furnace", in combination with a'hot air furnace hav ing a hot air chambeiy'of an inclined bottom liquid holding pan disposed within the hot air chamber of fthe furnace, van automatic feed for supplying liquid to said pan and whereby the amount of surface of liquid may be predetermined and automatically maintained.

5.'l humidity gauge for hot air furnaces comprising, an inclined bottom liquid holding pan, an automatic liquid feed for supplying liquid to said pan at a constant level and regulatory means whereby the humidity of the hot air to be supplied from the furnace may be governed.

i HAROLD T. BARHART. 

